Breast-strap coupling



(No Model.)

W. B. THOME & E.v E. RISSER. I BREAST STRAP COUPLING. No. 436,442.

Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. THOME, OF MILTON GROVE, AND ELIAS E. RISSER, OF LAWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BREAST-STRAP COU PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,442, dated September 16, 1890.

Application filed February 19, 1890, Serial No. 341,089. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM B. THOME of Milton Grove, Lancaster county, and ELIAS E. RISSER, of Lawn, Lebanon county, both in the State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented certain Improvement-s in Breast-Strap Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of couplings employed in connection with the breast-straps of harness used instead of the ordinary collar. These straps as generally made form one continuous piece adapted to extend entirely around the breast of a horse, being supported at the sides by a strap or straps passing over the shoulders of the animal. Thus arranged it is necessary to pass the breast-strap or the supporting strap or straps over the horses head in harnessing and unharness'ing the animal, which is inconvenient and troublesome.

The object of our invention is to avoid this, and we accomplish our object by dividing the strap into two parts in front and connecting those parts by a coupling, the novel features of which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front View of a breaststra having a coupling embodying our invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, portions of the breast-strap being cut away. Fig. 3 is a front view of the two sections disconnected from each other. Fig. 4 is a Vertical transverse section on the line 1 90, Fig. 1.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A represents the breast-strap divided into two parts in front and connected by the coupling B. The coupling is composed of the keepersection 0 and the hook-section D, and these sections are secured to the contiguous ends of the two parts of the breast-strap by rivets r or other like fastenings. WVhen the sections are connected, the inner ends thereof lap each other, the section D of sufficient thickness for the purpose being recessed to receive the end of the section 0, so that the inner surfaces of the two sections are flush with each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the section 0, and at such distance from the inner end thereof as to afford a sufficient bearing for the corresponding end of the section D, there is formed a keeper a, having a recess or groove cut therein on the side toward the outer end of the section. The base b of each of the keepers is raised above the face of the section and extended inward to form an abutment for the shoulders at of the section D. In the center of that portion of the section 0 which is lapped by the section D is permanently secured a revoluble pin 71, having a flattened head f formed on its outer end and shaped like a thumb-nut, the space between the under side of the head and the face of the section 0 being sufficient to admit the end of section D.

From the inner end of the section D there projects a tongue E, which extends forward between the keepers a and has a bead 6 formed on its extremity. A pin g projects from each side of the bead, which is adapted to engage the recess in the outer side of one of the keepers. This section is-also provided with a slot F, constructed to permit the head f, when in a certain position, to pass through the same, the side walls of the slot being recessed at the center to form an opening on, adapted to receive the revoluble pin. There is a spring H secured to the sectionD on one side of the central opening of the slot, hav ing an indentation h formed therein opposite that opening, and on the lower end of the section there is fastened a martingale-loop R. There is also a bead N, extending transversely of the section to correspond with the V bead formed by the keepers and the bead on the end of the tongue E. When the sections are to be connected, the head 1" of the pin is turned so that its length may correspond with that of the slot F, as shown in Fig. 3. The

end of the head f rests in the indentation h of the spring H, the spring serving to prevent the accidental turning of the head. As will be seen, the position of the tongue E between the keepers a and. the engagement of the revoluble pin with the opening m prevent transverse movement of the sections on each other.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a breast-strap coupling, the combination, with a keeper-section having keepers provided with recesses in the sides thereof toward the outer end of said keeper-section, and a revoluble headed pin located on the inner end of said keeper-section, of a hooksection constructed to lap the inner end of the keeper section, and having a tongue formed on the inner end thereof provided with pins projecting from its sides adapted to engage the recesses in said outer sides of the keepers, said hook-section being provided with an aperture to permit the passage of the head and receive the pin, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a breast-strap coupling, the combination, with a keeper-section having keepers provided with recesses in the sides thereof toward the outer end of said keeper-section, and a revoluble headed pin located on the inner end of said keeper-section, of a hooksection constructed to lap the inner end of said keeper section and having a tongue formed on the inner end thereof provided with pins projecting from its sides adapted to engage the recesses in said outer sides of the keepers, said hook-section being provided with an aperture to permit the passage of the head and receive the pin, and a spring to prevent the accidental turning of the revoluble pin, substantially as specified.

In a breast-strap coupling, the combination, with the keeper-section provided with keepers, as 0., having recesses formed in the sides thereof toward the outer end of said keeper-section, and a revoluble headed pin located on the inner end of said keeper-section, of a hook-section constructed to lap the inner end of the keeper-section, and having a recess in its inner end to receive the inner end of the keeper-section, and shoulders d, adapted to abut against the base of the inner sides of the keepers, a tongue formed on the end of the hook-section provided with pins projecting from its sides adapted to engage the recesses in said outer sides of the keepers, said hook-section being provided with an aperture to permit the passage of the head and receive the pin, and a spring secured to the hook-section and adapted to engage the pin-head when in a given position, all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

WM. B. THOME. ELIAS E. RISSER. Witnesses:

GEO. A. LANE, WM. R. GERHART. 

